Visitors and members of the public who are unfamiliar with the building and procedures are advised that:

(a)      The fire alarm is a continuous loud ringing. In the event that a fire drill is planned during the meeting, the Chair will advise of this.

(b)      Exit routes from the chamber are located on each side of the room, one directly to a fire escape, the other to the stairs opposite the lifts.

(c)      In the event of the alarm sounding, leave the building via the nearest safe exit and gather at the assembly point on the far side of the car park. Do not leave the assembly point or re-enter the building until advised to do so. Do not use the lifts.

(d)      Anyone unable to use the stairs should make themselves known during this agenda item.

The Chair outlined the emergency evacuation procedure.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 12 November 2025 (Minute Nos. 448 – 462) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 12 November 2025 (Minute Nos. 448 – 462) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their families or friends.

The Chair will ask Members if they have any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) or disclosable non-pecuniary interests (DNPIs) to declare in respect of items on the agenda. Members with a DPI in an item must leave the room for that item and may not participate in the debate or vote. 

Aside from disclosable interests, where a fair-minded and informed observer would think there was a real possibility that a Member might be biased or predetermined on an item, the Member should declare this and leave the room while that item is considered.

Members who are in any doubt about interests, bias or predetermination should contact the monitoring officer for advice prior to the meeting.

Councillor Elliott Jayes declared a disclosable non-pecuniary interest in respect of item 9 Off-Street Parking Order Consultation Report as he was a member of Minster Parish Council.

Councillor Dolley Wooster declared a disclosable non-pecuniary interest in respect of item 9 Off-Street Parking Order Consultation Report as she was a member of Sheerness Town Council and Minster Parish Council.

Councillor Peter MacDonald declared a disclosable non-pecuniary interest in respect of item 9 Off-Street Parking Order Consultation Report as he was a member of Sheerness Town Council and Minster Parish Council.

Update from the Chair on any matters from the prevous meeting or upcoming agenda items relating to this committee.

There were no matters arising.

The Chair provided an update on her work as Chair of the Committee.  She had attended the KITE Community College, Sittingbourne and had facilitated resources for young people with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) access to train travelling training, and it was hoped in the future access to bus training to help them become more independent.

The Chair advised that she had attended two meetings of the Local Government Association (LGA) Coastal Special Interest Group (SIG) which was a national meeting led by Tyneside Council which she hoped would assist the Council with ideas and best practice to combat coastal issues.  The disruption to water supply experienced in some areas of Kent was amongst the issues considered and interest around how residents had coped. 

The Chair reported that she had chaired the Barton’s Point Working Group which had full cross-party attendance.  Members had received an excellent presentation from officers on Barton’s Point which had led to lots of questions and debate.  The Chair further reported that, whilst not a member, she understood that the Litter Working Group had met, and she asked officers whether the Chair of that working group could provide updates moving forward.

In response to a query from a Member, the Head of Environment and Leisure confirmed that the Procurement of minor maintenance and cleansing of public conveniences – tender award would not be required for the March 2026 meeting if Members agreed agenda item 11 of the agenda Provision of Minor Maintenance and Cleansing of Public Conveniences Contract.

Resolved:

(1)   That the Forward Decisions Plan be noted.

The Climate Change Officer introduced the report as set out in the agenda papers.

The Chair invited Members to make comments and ask questions, and these included:

·         This was an excellent report;

·         the Swale Cycle Recycle project worked well and with other groups such as the prison cluster, it worked well on many levels and typified what the Council should be looking for in partners moving forward;

·         welcomed the continuance of the Carbon Literacy training at schools;

·         the tree planting scheme was excellent;

·         what were the costs of providing the carbon literacy day training?;

·         the report should include more detailed information on the budgets for the service and what the cost to the Council was, versus the benefits;

·         requested an update on the contamination of recycling bins;

·         encouraged Members to lobby Government on reducing retail packaging etc.;

·         the connection between the Borough’s ancient woodlands and new tree planting alongside it was important as this improved biodiversity;

·         there was a typographical error in paragraph 7.5 on page 43 of the agenda pack, and Conyer was a hamlet not a village;

·         was there information on what environmental impacts, or savings the Council could receive from its suppliers?;

·         was the Faversham Car Share scheme still operating?; and

·         did the Council ensure that its suppliers provided ethical and fair trading?

In response, the Climate & Ecological Emergency Project Officer explained that two tool kits at a cost of £500 each had been purchased and enabled the provision of Carbon Literacy Training for schools and for Members at no additional cost to the Council.  The Climate Change Officer advised that the climate change team was salary only with a small budget.  Funding for the Active Travel scheme projects was from Kent County Council (KCC), and the targets were funded from the Council’s existing departmental budgets and this information could be shared with Members.  The Chair agreed that the budget for the Climate and Ecological Emergency would be discussed by the Steering Group.

The Environmental Services Manager reported that officers had carried out some work around contamination of the recycling bins with some positive communication around food recycling as previously reported.  He said officers were working on reducing contamination alongside the Council’s Communications team and the Council’s refuse contractor Suez.  There was some work proposed for March 2026 prior to the Simpler Recycling Regime, and rolling-out food and recycling bins to some of the communal areas.

The Climate & Ecological Emergency Project Officer reported that the supply chain omissions were monitored and fell within Scope three which had the net zero target by 2045.  There were specific questions during the tender process which did look at the supply chain to avoid any environmental damage, and the Council’s Procurement Policy had been updated in 2025.  He was aware that a sustainable procurement tool-kit was being developed by the Kent wide climate change network.  The Climate Change Officer added that with regard to solar panels, there was an industry protocol to ensure that no slave labour was used in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 651.

Tabled paper published 27 January 2026.

The Head of Environment and Leisure introduced the report as set out in the agenda papers.  He acknowledged the level of responses objecting to the proposals and the petitions received.  He reported that with regard to the ownership of Queenborough Library car park, he had that day requested the relevant documents from the Land Registry, and they had confirmed that there were three Title Deeds for the area and each of them showed Swale Borough Council (SBC) as the proprietor of the land.  The Legal and Property teams would, however, do a more detailed investigation in due course.

The Chair thanked all those that had responded to the consultation.

A representative of Queenborough Town Council (QTC) was invited to speak.  She raised the following points:  Land Registry documents K5555380 and K555381 showed that QTC were owners of part of Queenborough Library car park; there had been over 4,000 objections from residents; the proposals were ‘damning’ and would destroy the Isle of Sheppey; how would the Council attract visitors to the Isle of Sheppey by imposing these car parking charges?; the Isle of Sheppey had poor public services and transport; this would lead to shop closures in Queenborough and Halfway; and please rethink as the Council would not generate any revenue from this but ‘push’ the car parking into the already congested local streets.

A Ward Member spoke against the proposals and raised the following points: the parking charges had been approved and the funds allocated prior to the public consultation, which was contrary to the Council’s own Consultation Policy; the ownership issues around the Queenborough Library car park needed to be resolved prior to any decision being made to avoid any subsequent legal charges against the Council; residents would have to park in the streets which would make it difficult for refuse vehicles to navigate; and it would make it difficult for residents to access frontline services such as GPs and pharmacies; and also make parking difficult for local volunteers.

The Ward Member drew attention to the minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2025 and noted in one paragraph it stated that a decision would not be made until the consultation had taken place.  However, in a later paragraph it stated that the decision had already been made. 

Councillor Ashley Shiel made the following proposal:  That the Traffic Regulation Order be withdrawn.  This was not seconded.

In response, the Head of Environment and Leisure stated that the consultation was not carried out under the formal SBC consultation because it had to follow the national process for the off-street parking order consultation as written in legislation in terms of the order of the consultation.  With regard, to the legal ownership of the Library car park, he noted the comments from QTC however the Council had made their decisions based on what they saw from the Land Registry.  With regard to the impacts to residents, this was also the case for residents in Faversham, Sittingbourne, and other areas of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 652.

The Head of Environment and Leisure introduced the report as set out in the agenda papers.

The Chair invited Members to make comments and ask questions, and these included:

·         With regard to the heat maps, were parking operatives ‘walking’ around these areas?;

·         were cash and cashless payment options available in all of the Council’s car parks;

·         could a ‘tiered’ system of the type of cars that polluted be introduced?;

·         could debit cards be used at parking machines?;

·         needed to be aware of QR Codes on parking machines;

·         the annual parking report should include any complaints made to the Council about parking;

·         this should include details on where the finances for refurbishment of car parks; and

·         the payment machine in the multi-storey car park, Sittingbourne was not giving any change.

In response, the Head of Environment and Leisure said that the heat maps were taken from the parking operatives handheld tablets and there were assurances and quality checks to ensure the operatives were actively patrolling.  Sometimes that might mean they did not get out if they could clearly see no contraventions.  Most of the Council’s car parks offered cash parking machines and cashless options, however in remote areas and areas of low-level usage the Council could offer cashless parking only, as set out in the Council’s car parking policy.  He confirmed that debit cards could be used for payments, and the Council did not use QR Codes and any found by the parking operatives on the parking machines would be removed. 

The Head of Environment and Leisure said he was aware that some authorities had tiered systems of more polluting vehicles and this could be considered by Members when they set the fees and charges.  He said that the number of complaints to the Council could be included in future years.  Threats to the Council’s parking operatives was still a problem.  The Council offered really good support to any of their parking operatives following any incidents.

The Head of Environment and Leisure reported that he was aware of the issues with the machines and on 30 January 2026 all the payment machines in the multi-storey car park, Sittingbourne would be replaced.  He would let Members know what ‘items not shown’ referred to on Appendix 2 (heat maps).

Councillor Thompson proposed the recommendation, which was seconded by Councillor Alex Eyre.

Resolved:

(1)   That the Annual Parking Report 2024-25 be published on the Council’s website.

The Environmental Services Manager introduced the report as set out in the agenda papers.

The Chair invited Members to make comments and ask questions, and these included:

·         Why was the contract for five+1 years, and not less?;

·         closure times were currently given for the public conveniences at Barton’s Point and Minster Leas, Minster.  Could they be amended for the summer months to 9 pm or sunset as they were well used during those times?;

·         the radar key scheme was only in operation on one of the conveniences at Barton’s Point, it would ease access issues if it was in operation across all the public conveniences;

·         a lot of investment was needed for the necessary improvements at some of the conveniences; and

·         given the costs involved to parish and town councils, were any proposed asset transfers by them still possible?

In response, the Environmental Services Manager reported that officers went for the five+ year contract as they wanted it to offer value for residents and stimulate interest from bidders.  Also, as previously requested by the Committee, there were two lots within the contract which allowed the flexibility to hand facilities over to other organisations.  The remaining facilities that required a longer-term ownership had been put into the five+1 lot.  Lot 2 contained the assets that could be transferred or possibly closed – but these would continue to be reviewed by this Committee.

The Environmental Services Manager said opening times were reviewed and adjusted to reflect previous comments received.  These criteria needed to be clear for the contract specification.  Times could be adjusted in the future through the contract variation process.

The Head of Environment and Leisure stated that there was the potential for investment at the Library toilets in Sittingbourne and further funding would be available for Members’ consideration on how they should be invested in community assets.  The Council could not opt-out of TUPE (Transfer of undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006), officers had been in discussions with some parish and town councils and it was a matter for negotiation. 

The Chair agreed to write to the Chair of the Economy and Property Committee to ensure that TUPE was being considered as part of any asset transfer to Town and Parish Councils.

Councillor Jayes proposed the recommendation, which was seconded by Councillor Charlie Miller.

Resolved:

(1)      That delegated authority be given to the Section 151 Officer and Head of Legal to award the contract to the winning bid which was a 5+1 year contract.

The meeting was adjourned at 7.40 until 7.49 pm, and 9.30 pm until 9.40 pm.

At 10 pm, Members agreed to the suspension of Standing Orders in order that the Committee could complete its business.